MOLINE, Ill. — Masks were optional beginning Tuesday, April 19 on all Quad Cities Metro buses and within facilities, according to QC MetroLINK.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced last week that it was extending the mask requirement, which was set to expire on April 18, until May 3 as it assessed the potential impact of the BA.2 omicron subvariant.
MetroLINK's move to recall the mask requirement on buses came after a federal judge ruled the CDC overstepped its authority in issuing the nationwide health order for public transportation.
Tuesday afternoon, the Quad Cities International Airport said it is no longer enforcing the federal mask mandate.
"We are monitoring this rapidly evolving situation and still suggest people contact their airline and be aware of any requirements that may still be in place at their final destination," the airport's statement says.
According to the Associated Press, the new ruling allows individual entities the option to keep their mask rules in place, resulting in requirements that could vary from city to city.
Following the federal ruling, major airlines, Amtrak and even Uber announced they would be relaxing their mask policies for employees and passengers.